Indian Army is on high alert not only in Eastern Ladakh but across the Northern Border with China, Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane said on Tuesday. In an annual presser, General Naravane said: “We have gone into a winter deployment situation… We (India and China) will reach amicable solutions. However, we are ready to meet any eventuality.”

General Naravane said that last year the Army had to walk the talk to meet the challenges and the force did so successfully. “First biggest challenge was Covid and the next was the situation at the northern border,” he said. He also said there was no cause of concern on the logistical issues and the force’s operational preparedness is of high order. “Morale of the troops is high,” General Naravane said.

“The situation at the Line of Actual Control is the same as it was last year. The status quo remains the same. We have received directions from the government to remain in the same position where we are deployed at the friction point. There is no change in the deployment in the friction area in Eastern Ladakh,” said the Army Chief.

“All along the northern borders, we have remained vigilant. Friction points are there in the central and eastern sectors of the LAC where China has developed infrastructure. We keep monitoring it and factor it in our strategy,” he said. The Army Chief said that there was indeed a requirement of re-balancing towards northern borders and that is what we have put in place now.